Victor Martinez didn't like the way former Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus handled moving him down in the batting order last season. Martinez told the Free Press on Tuesday he has no issue with manager Ron Gardenhire's recent decision to replace him in the cleanup spot with Jeimer Candelario.

Gardenhire quietly made the switch to Candelario, a switch hitter with a team-high 10 home runs, in the cleanup spot over the weekend. Candelario remained fourth in the order on Tuesday when the Tigers opened a three-game series against the Twins at Comerica Park. Martinez is now batting fifth.

"We just had a conversation and told him exactly what we were looking at," Gardenhire said. "He had no problem with it either way. He doesn't care. As long as you communicate with him. I've said this all along. I have no problem communicating with him. He's very easy. He's just having a blast playing baseball. It was a simple conversation and he said, 'Skip, you do what you gotta do to help this team.' He just wants to be part of a team that's doing what we're doing right now and that's getting after the game. He had no problem with it.

"Candy's a guy that can get on the base. ... He's been driving the baseball too. We're just trying to move it around. Analytically, that's what they say (is best). It's all right there."

"I think I'm just enjoying it just like you right now, watching a kid play and get more confident," Gardenhire said. "He can drive a baseball. He can really put the barrel to it. Makes a real nice sound. Am I surprised? I don't know. This is my first good shot at him. Just let him get through the year and see where he ends up."

“It’s about winning,” Martinez said. “I have always say this, ‘How you going to complain if you’re not doing (crap)?' You have to be honest with yourself.”

Candelario is batting .263 with 15 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in 54 games. He’s batting .322 right-handed with four homers and 14 RBIs; he’s batting .250 left-handed with six home runs and 15 RBIs.

Martinez is batting .244 with nine doubles, four home runs and 24 RBIs in 59 games.

“Everybody has their pride, but again, you have to be honest with yourself,” Martinez said. “When it’s time, it’s time.”

Martinez said Gardenhire “is great.”

“You call me to the office and you tell me this, how you think I’m going to complain,” Martinez said. “I have nothing to complain (about). I should feel embarrassed if I complain.”

Martinez, 39, said has spoken highly about Candelario, 24, this season.

“When you want to win, you’re willing to do anything,” Martinez said. “And at the end of the day, you have to look at yourself in the mirror. It is what it is. I’m not hitting. I’m not doing what I’m supposed to do. These guys are doing better. Yeah, they deserve to be there.

“It’s teamwork. It’s not about one or two players. Yeah, I’ve never been against any decision.”

Martinez acknowledged he wasn’t happy with the way Ausmus handled moving him lower in the order last season.

“I think at least I deserve to be called to the office and at least tell me,” Martinez said. “I have time enough to at least tell me know ahead.

“If you let me know, how do you think I’m going to complain. If I’m not doing (crap), I’m not doing (crap).”

Martinez hit .255 with 16 doubles, 10 home runs and 47 RBIs in 2017, after hitting 22 doubles, 27 home runs with 86 RBIs in 154 games in 2016.

Martinez said it got to a point before the end of last season where he even told Ausmus he should be hitting lower than he was.

“Only thing is I ask for respect. That’s why I respect everybody. You respect people to get respect back and that’s it. I’ve never asked for special treatment or nothing. I show up and play. That’s it. That was the difference.”

Contact George Sipple: gsipple@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgesipple.